Sunlight
by Alis Volat Propris
Summary: She is the sunlight and the sun is gone. Ino/Neji


"_She is the sunlight. And The sun is gone"-Trading Yesterday- _

The stars fell from those cerulean eyes as she trembled. Ino Yamanaka was in vehement denial stiff upper lip refusing to give way like her body was. No. No it couldn't be true. There must have been some sort of mistake. Shikaku was wrong, and she told him so defiantly. There was no way. Her father was stronger than that. She could see her teammates sadness, echoing her own hollow looks back at her in the reflection of their eyes. It was his eyes; the eyes of a father that broke her. Black eyes the equal of Shikamaru's, with a depth of sorrow she only saw on Shikamaru when they talked about Asuma; Shikaku gave her that pitying glance.

Denial crashed on the waves of reality sinking far beneath the murky depths, spiraling down, as despair sunk in it's teeth for the kill. She felt Shikaku's steadying hand on her shoulder, words lost as Ino fell through the daze, fell through until her knees hit the ground, the tears streaming from her eyes unbidden and prickled. Her hands fell on the dirt, steadying her, before they too gave way, her face to the ground as sobs tore through her, choking her as she tasted the dust, inhaled it. She slamed her fists into the dust, as if by fighting with the earth itself it would force it to give back her father. No. _no_

Shikaku placed his hand on that golden hair, now tangled with dirt and mixed with tears, stroking her head as Inoichi's golden song bird wept for her lost father.

…...

Ino gave herself five days to mourn. They were five days spent in isolation, she refused to admit anyone into her apartment. She did not bathe, her hair dirty and unkempt, her perfect skin unpolished, her eyes puffy and swollen. She did not wake with the sun, but closed the curtains against the harsh light, refusing to allow something so bright to dwell with her grief. She turned from it, burrowing in her thick blankets, taking what shelter and solace she could from them, and drowned herself in tears and choking sobs. She cried herself dry. At her father's funeral she refused to shed a tear, jaw clenched, knuckles white, but one could tell by the light that had left her perwinkle eyes. Ino Yamanaka was a girl who felt most akinely all of the spectrum of emotions, and sorrow was not to be lost amongst her feelings. A part of her was with her father in that grave, with Asuma in his, as with others she had lost.

She continued on, she practised with her team, taking missions with them, doing everything she needed to. However she was quiet, a trait that had never been present in the girl before, not even when Sasuke had left, but this only pointed to the fact that somethings simply did not have words to convey their depth and somethings that were lost could not be replaced. Their golden song bird was broken, wings clipped as she fell from the sky.

Nara Shikamaru chewed on the grass with far more fervor than necessary, but his mind wrestled with problems that even the cloud gazing could not drive away. Ino was avoiding him and more so avoiding her feelings. She was a walking corpse, moving and being, but without emotion or attatchment. It had been a month and a half since the funeral. Her hair though clean, was tangled, not as shiny or tawny as it normally was. Her skin was lackluster and pale. Her epidermis had a sickly sheen to it, where once it had glowed.

Where she had once stood tall, proud, now she was weighed down by her sorrow, an expression of weariness replacing that sassy confidence that had once defined her. She tried to hide her puffy red eyes, but Shikamaru and Chouji knew better when she came to training. Her eyes also had dark gray circles beneath them smudged beneath her dazed eyes. She wasn't sleeping and they could attestify to it. In the night, even on missions, she had terrible nightmares. Shikamaru and Chouji took turns on their watch to wake her lest she give away their position.

For all intensive purposes, Ino was fading from the bright vibrant person she had been. Neither he nor Chouji could penetrate the shield the girl had errected around herself. Her friends could not either, and their attempts were met with cold brush offs and further silence and in Shikamaru's case purposeful avoidance, aside from training and missions. Ino did not come to hang out with friends, would not set foot near their houses, or their families. Shikamaru and Chouji were left to break into her apartment to check on her. Even Sakura could not pull her from her stupor. She had shared this with the Godaime Hokage, and her shishou had merely shaken her head, pigtails trailing behind her as those hazel eyes regarded her apprentice with remorse.

"She must deal with it, in her own time, and her own way. It may take longer still if she does not deal with her feelings and lay them to rest. She may never be the same." The woman said sagely, and both Sakura and Shikamaru knew that she spoke from personal experience.

But Shikamaru could not accept that answer. Perhaps it was because he was too logical, too factual and concrete about this, but this was not some ordinary person they were talking about. This was _his_ teammate, _his _childhood friend. This was Ino. He would not accept that she would not return to her former self, that she would live in this shell of a person masquerading as her. It was this that had led him to desperation, this that had led him to the Hyuuga residence.

Nara Shikmaru approached with a grim sort of determination around him, greeting the branch member servants of the Hyuuga clan clearly with an aim, to find out where the Hyuuga Neji was. He offered his thanks, making his way through the property of the Hyuuga clan. He found his way to the garden, searching out the man's chakra signature.

Neji sat, pearlescent eyes closed, as he sat in meditation. He did not move, did not flinch as the Shikamaru came closer. His mind was focused.

"Shikamaru" The calm proud voice of the Branch member greeted still absorbed in his task.

"Neji." Shikamaru replied, as those pearlescent eyes opened.

"This is an unexpected surprise. To what do I owe your visit?" He remarked, rising to his feet as he offered his hand.

Shikamaru shook it with a smile tugging at his lips, but those dark eyes still held their steeled look of determination and a heistance that Neji found odd. Whatever the Nara was here about, he was intently serious about it. Neji waited for the genius to come around to the subject. He did not have to wait long.

"I'm sure you know that Yamanaka Inoichi is dead." Shikamaru stated.

Neji blinked, part in acknowledgement and part surprise. What could that possibly have to do with his being here? His arms crossed, Neji tossed his chocolate hair over his shoulder with a nod.

"Ino-" He faltered, eyes filled with pain. He coughed, and his voice regained it's former strength and seriousness. "Ino has not been the same since her father died."

So he was here about his teammate. That explained the who, but why the genius would approach him about the Yamanaka girl was still yet to be accounted for.

Neji waited patiently, searching the genius prodigy in his own rights for the subtle answers that his words would not say. The pinneaple haired nin was nervous, though he hid it better than most, his fingers twitching only slightly, but his breathe was sharp as he drew his next breathe, his eyes bright as thoughts surged across his face. His expresions flickered in the minute gestures that streaked across his features. He was forming his words, searching for the best way to communicate them keenly aware of his audience. Neji waited, patient and intrigued about what would cause the Nara clan member to pause and consider so carefully. Shikamaru finally spit it out.

"I know what I ask is not easy, but I have nothing left to try. She will not respond. Not to Me and not to Chouji. Not to my father or Chouji's. Not to her clan members. She does not sleep, she barely eats, and only if Chouji and I are standing there watching her eat every bite. Sakura tried talking to her, to no avail." Shikamaru's tone was grave.

"I fail to see the relevance, Shikamaru." Neji replied cooly, his tone neither approving nor disapproving.

Shikamaru sighed, looking at him momentarily before digging his hands into his pockets, kicking some dirt with his shoe.

"I am asking you to try." Shikamaru told him, black eyes sharp, hard as they looked straight into Neji's.

Were he not raised so polished or polite, Neji would have snorted. As it were, those brown eyebrows furrowed, pearlescent eyes struck somewhere between amusement and confusion.

"To try what exactly?" Neji asked needing specifics before he made a decision.

"To reach her. To work with her" Shikamaru replied steadily. "Her father is dead, and she walks around like a corpse. You knew her in the chuunin exams, she was loud, and boisterous, arrogant and witty. Now, she will not speak unless forced and she refuses to speak to anyone about it." Shikamaru replied.

Neji almost laughed outright until he saw the desperation in Shikamaru's eyes. The grim dauntlessness of the man in front of him, kept him from spurning the request, atleast immediately. Again, Neji wondered. Instead of laughing, the Hyuuga branch member wanted to know why.

"What could possibly prompt you to ask this of me?" Neji asked him instead eyes taking on a serious sheen of their own.

Shikamaru did not heistate. This was what he had been forming, pondering after examining the situation carefully for days. He spoke with certainty.

"Because you have experienced that pain, that loss yourself" Shikamaru replied with an air of assurance and conviction. "Because you are outside of her circle of friends and family and thus have a better chance at reaching her because you do not interact with her day to day. You words will carry more weight and authority because of it." He replied.

Neji was surprised by this angle. Yes, he had lost his own father, though the situations were different. The emptiness inside, however, was the same. He could understand and relate to that and the words the Nara member spoke were true. He had not considered that, should have as he thought of her loss. Neji sighed, closing his eyes.

"And what makes you think any words of mine will penetrate?" He asked.

"You know as well as I do that your kekkai genkei allows you to read people. You might be able to read her. Because even if she doesn't like you, she respects you. And I have nothing left to try. I know this is a shot in the dark, but I'm asking anyways." Shikamaru told him.

Shot in the dark. Shikamaru had spoken the words innocently, but in his eyes was a subtle challenge. He hoped to kindle and stoke Neji's pride. This he could see clearly, but it was the other unspoken subtlties that ultimately swayed him. It was the concern of his teammate, that was tangible in the desperation of his stance, the pleading in his eyes. The Hyuuga was a master of perception, of the feelings unspoken. He could see the anguish this caused, that the genius tried to mask and cloak. It prompted Neji to be compassionate and considerate in light of the circumstances.

"I will do what I can, Shikamaru, but I cannot guarantee my success. After all, I am not close to her by any stretch of the means, and my words may cause the opposite of what you hope for." Neji replied.

"Thats all I can ask" Shikamaru said with a shrug. They stood in the sunlight for a little longer, enjoying the day. Shikamaru looked to the sky and gave the Hyuuga member a nod. "Thanks" He offered, turning to stroll out of the garden and away.

…...

Ino sat, at team ten's favorite barbeque place, staring at her hands at her side in the booth of the restaurant while Shikamaru and Chouji exchanged worried looks.

"Ino, it's your favorite, Yakuniku" Chouji offered with a smile.

Ino sighed. It was Chouji's favorite, but she humored him by picking up the piece of beef with her chopsticks, sticking it in her mouth and chewing resolutely, before swallowing. Shikamaru and Chouji brightened considerably, until she set her chopsticks down again, absorbed in a scroll she pulled from her pouch.

The bell on top of the door rung, signifying a new customer to the restaurant. Chouji turned and looked at the new comers with surprise. Team Gai came in, Tenten bearing a heavy scroll upon her back, Lee with his typical green jumpsuit and orange leg warmers, the only addition being his chuunin vest. Neji, prompted the two forward, as they headed to the back of the restaurant. Shikamaru tipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Neji, Tenten, Lee. Where Gai?" He asked.

Tenten looked disgruntled, and Neji's look soured to one of begrudging indifference. "Very observant oh genius of the Nara clan. Gai sensei is challenging his esteemed rival again in a battle of wit and prowess." Lee chorused, fists raised in admiration of his mentor. His eyes took on a dreamy look, for what he was probably imagining of his sensei beating the copy nin senseless at whatever absurd challenge the man had.

Tenten glanced at Ino, who casually ignored them all, though this did not appear out of malice, simply un interest in everything and everyone around her.

"We were stopping by to see if you wouldn't mind sparring with us in our sensei's absence." The bun haired girl asked, with a bright smile.

Chouji blushed at the look, and turned to Shikamaru in question. The genius Nara was trying to see if Ino had heard any of what had transpassed. If she had, Ino made no acknowledgement, still reading through her scroll.

"We accept." Shikamaru replied for team ten, and this did make her look up, blue eyes searching his but he merely looked at the others, ignoring the question in her stare.

"Why would we waste our time?" Neji retorted haughtily, testing the waters.

Chouji frowned, and Shikamaru's eyes darkened a fraction, though he knew what the prodigy was doing. Shikamaru silenced Chouji with a look. The red maned nin did not understand what Shikamaru was doing, but he trusted his best friend and teammate.

Ino's eyes glinted, hardened as she looked up at Neji in surprise and a flash of anger. Shikamaru's heart raced, and simultaneously ached. It was a far cry from her previous looks, but still something. She had responded, as he had predicted she would with somone outside of her circle of friends.

Tenten caught his look and played along knowing he was up to something. "But Neji we have to train with someone while Gai sensei is busy." Tenten said, wondering how far Neji would push.

"I would not waste my energy on a thirdrate clan." Neji replied.

Yamanaka Ino slammed her scroll down, the first display of temper, her former glory in months.

"Who are you calling a third rate clan? The Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans are some of the greatest clans in fire village " Her voice was low, gravely from it's inactivity, but she managed it nonetheless.

"There seems to be some speculation in that regard on the current Yamanaka heiress. Some say she had lost her touch." Neji provoked.

"Save it for the training field, Hyuuga. I'll wipe your face with it soon enough." Ino snapped, periwinkle igniting. "Let's go" She snarled, dragging the two boys by their collars. Severely shocked by her reaction, they placatingly followed, Shikamaru barely managing to throw down the money for their bill as Ino hauled them in tow.

Lee and Tenten exchanged looks as they followed Neji. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he watched Ino fume, and tromp off to the grounds.

"I hope you know what you're doing" The weapon mistress said a pitying look on her face as she stared at their captain. "Because if looks could kill..." She trailed off.

"Must you treat such a woman; a delicate flower of beauty with inconsideration, my esteemed rival?" Lee questioned his chivalrous spirit roused.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing, and in the end it will come right. I'm baiting her, assuredly." Neji replied. "If she's as good as her words, I might even apologize." He mused.

Tenten clapped Lee on the shoulder and followed after Neji. Lee sighed as they headed to the training fields.

…...

"Shall we break up into partners to spar?" Tenten offered.

"Fine by me." Ino snapped, eyes fixed on Neji with a death glare as she clenched two sai in her hands.

"I will spar with Tenten." Shikamaru said hastily the radiating waves of anger rolling off the blonde troublesome. The weapons mistress grinned, the curl of her lip predatory as she unstrapped her scroll. "Certainly" She replied.

"I would spar with you Akimichi san." Lee offered. Chouji nodded with a grin.

Neji's eyes never left Ino's. "Shall we see if your actions are as quick as your words?" Pearlescent eyes mocked her.

Ino's eyes narrowed, and her reply was a slash of steeled weapons, initiating the spar.

Tenten unfurled her scroll, summoning her weapons and launched them at the shadow user. Shikamaru hastily dodged the volley of equipment, working his kagemane no jutsu. Lee's fist met the hardened enlarged Akimichi clan member and richocheted off of him.

Neji pulled out two kunai to parry her sai and was fending off her close range attacks, countering the sai easily. Ino made smooth chopping motions, her sai tucked into her forearms to defend. She flexed her thumb twirling the sai to slash in attack. Neji leaned back, barely able to avoid the blow. He was underestimating her. Summoning his birthright, blood vessels flaring he was instantly aware of her every movement. Yamanaka Ino was quick, quicker than he had anticipated and she had lightning reflexes. The sharp clang of steel on steel as she blocked another of his blows, made her angrier.

With a hardened battle cry she came at him. He threw his kunai at her, grazing her cheek as she dodged, intent on him. Neji smiled and summoned his jutsu, defensive barrier summoned with his chakra, twirling as he sped around, sending the girl flying as she met his defense mechanism. Tenten tossed him his sword, as she bore down on the shadow user from above him. Neji caught it as he eyed the weapon's mistress and the shadow users fight. Shikamaru had barely dodged her and was struggling to keep her at bay.

Ino was at his throat again, and hooked his sword with her sai, pushing it away from her body, as he turned his head, the sai handle in her left hand whittling past. Ino's footwork hadn't been firm enough, she'd overcompensated pushing forward trying to catch an opening. He made her pay for it. Neji's fist impacted into her side. With a cry, the girl went tumbling. She regained her footing, only for him to knock one of her sai out of her hand in the scramble, flying into a tree. His sword came slashing down, and she hooked again with the sai, though Neji had the advantage. He pressed that advantage, forcing her to strain against him as she was underneath him, bending her position further. With a curse Ino was forced to tumble again, sliding her sai against his sword as she danced out of the way.

Neji moved to the attack, managing a gash to her shoulder. Her purple uniform top cut on one side, the front flap fell forward, useless revealing a creamy shoulder and collar bone, exposed. Golden hair flying, those blue eyes stared at him incredulously. Neji merely smirked, sword ringing as they connected again. The healthy flush made her pale skin shine, the glow from her exertion, becoming, blooming on her cheeks and face. Her eyes were alive, awake, and aware as she gave more of her energy and fervor. She turned his sword, fist flying. She managed to cuff his cheek, a good blow, one he hadn't anticipated her making, one that would leave a bruise. She grinned in exultation, following through with a kick that forced him to tumble to avoid. Lashing out with her sai, she caught his wrist, a simple kunai in her right hand keeping the sword from biting into her flesh.

Neji was forced to abandon the sword, or let her break his wrist. He abandoned the sword as he dodged, weaponless while she pressed her attack with her single sai. But Ino had not paid attention to her surroundings as well as she should have. He had led her right back to the tree where her other sai was, and he drew it, locking with her weapon as he countered her strikes. Ino tried to fight him but he was stronger as they came body to body, and he twisted the sai out of her grip, wrenching her wrist in the process. With a cry, she watched as he held the sai to her throat, breatheless.

Ino's breathe raced, as she fought for air, chest heaving, hair disheveled eyes never leaving his. His eyes grinned, laughed in their strange pearlescent color, his own hair a mess with sweat and strain, and she knew now that he had been provoking her, to see what she could do. And she knew that he was pleased with his findings, that though she had lost, she had not disgraced herself.

"I take back my comment about being third rate. You nearly had me at several points" Neji complimented, touching his cheek.

Ino for some strange reason felt the grin, the sensation odd after being buried, smothered with grief these past few months. He had provoked her because he knew the kind of sorrow she had, knew the kind of person she was. Knew that she needed an outlet, a way to cope. Knew that she could use her anger, her pain in battle. A sense of kindred spirits was found in that look of his, not one of pity, but of empathy. She felt alive in a way she never had before, and suddenly was aware of how his pearlescent eyes took in her dishevelled appearance in an entirely different appraising manner than before.

Shikamaru's groan took the two out of their staring contest, and Ino seeing her teammate pinned beneath Tenten's heel, errupted into laughter. Startled, both Lee and Chouji paused in their fight to stare at her. Ino laughed long and loud, wiping the tears from her eyes, as Tenten moved and helped the shadow nin up. Shikamaru, though red cheeked, felt the tug of a grin on his face, as muttered a mendokusai.

"I'm done for the day" Shikamaru said, putting his hands behind his head in surrender, walking off.

Tenten shrugged. "Sore looser." She teased. "Looks like you were at a stalemate, Chouji." She complimented.

Chouji flushed, scratching his head in pleasure. "Nah, Lee's fists would have worn me down" He said revealing his forearms to show the bruises. Tenten nodded. "Between the two of them, I'm usually black and blue"

"You are exceedingly tough, Akimichi san. A very worthy sparring rival, one who holds the will of fire in his youth!" Lee declared with a shiny tooth ping and a thumbs up.

Tenten rolled her eyes and noticed out of the corner of her eye the look Neji and Ino were giving each other as they recovered from their fight.

With mischevious brown eyes, and an impish grin, she grabbed Lee. "We're gonna go clean up." She told Neji, dragging Lee who was still spouting about the flames of youth. His torn bandages from his wrists flailed as he waved exaggerated gestures to his teammate.

"All this work had made me hungry again" Chouji said jovially. "I'll see you around Ino" He headed for his house.

Ino waved, feeling her spirit lighten as her smile appeared again lightening the marks of grief and destitution from her face.

"Its nice to see you smile again." Neji told her. "They were worried they wouldn't see it."

Periwinkle blue turned to face him. "I didn't do it for you." She told him with no uncertainty hands of her hips.

"I'm aware." He replied, the smile still in place as he gave her a considering look. It was like she just needed someone to give her a push off the ledge and now she was back to soaring.

"Stop looking at me like that." Ino commanded, running a hand through her tangled hair, it would need some work she thought as she finger combed some of the tangles out, tucking her bangs behind her ear.

"Like what?" Neji retorted, surprised that he was even replying to such a comment. Normally he wouldn't be talking with anyone like this, but something had changed during the fight, she had responded, had awakened in the fight, and something about her fighting spirit, her indomitable will had resonated within him. She made for an excellent sparring partner, a fact he hadn't accounted for. But the mutual intrigue, this natural want to banter with her, was something else entirely.

"Like that." She replied, with the same vagueness, though the haughty look turned up at the corners of her mouth threatening more laughter as she turned to keep her grin from giving her away.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific." Neji told her, crossing his arms as he looked at her a playful grin of his own. Ino's eyes turned sky blue as they lit with mischevious glee. Straightening herself, she sauntered to him, the unexpected twitch in her hips alarmingly appealing as her eyes danced, hair waving behind her as she titled her head to look up at him. In a quick intake of breathe he realized that Yamanaka Ino was beautiful, a fact he had missed in his geinin days.

"Like you're interested in renting the property" She offered coyly, invading his personal space, inches from his lips. Neji was shocked to feel the pit of his stomach drop, not in horror, but in anticipation. She retreated, her hair hitting him in the face as he sputtered, and she turned on her heel to look back at him.

"Tomorrow. Early morning." She demanded.

"Same place?" He asked, feeling more disconcerted than he showed. She nodded.

…...

Spars turned from training to conversation as they both would be famished by the time they finished and needed food. Neji was a good partner, his abilities as a prodigy forcing her to step up her ninjitsu. Neji worked with her on her footwork and frame, and Ino kept Neji on his toes, sharpening his response to unanticipated attacks. Ino's natural grace seemed to make for devastatingly quick measures, and she was good at switching from one move to another in an instant. They found true joy in their training times, Ino even managing to get Neji to laugh, a feat of kage level proportions.

She laughed, collapsing on the dirt, as she had managed to hit Neji square in the face, mud splattering down the side of his cheek, even into his hair. His look promised swift death as he raced after her. Tackling her mid tree, they fell straight into the lake with a splash.

Spluttering, half drowned, half choking on her laughter, she dunked the Hyuuga who still had some mud splattered in his hair and ear. Neji went down, but as Ino caught her breathe he pulled her down with him. Soaked and splashing each other, they called a truce, and made their way to the shore of the lake, plopping down underneath the tree as the leaves began to change color.

"Fall is coming." Neji noted, eying the leaves. Ino nodded.

"You never talk of him." He replied.

To this Ino sighed, placing her hands behind her head, and falling back onto the lush grass.

"Do I need to?" She asked. She trusted Neji, and she knew Neji knew how she felt about her father.

Neji sighed, and fell back with her on the grass. "It helps." He told her, eying the sky.

Ino took a deep breathe, summoning her strength. She swallowed the lump in her throat, the one that was always there whenever she thought about him.

"The first flower my dad ever gave me was an Iris" She began. "Purple became my favorite color shortly after." And the words, the stories flowed out of Ino, the memories.

Not all in one sitting. The stories were spread out over time as there were moments she was simply too overhwhelmed. Sometimes she laughed, other times she cried. Neji would nod, and look at her with those eyes that drew her in, place a comforting hand on her shoulder in empathy, an arm around her shoulder in comfort.

Ino came to find she wished for more than his hand on her shoulder. She knew the expressions that crossed his handsome face even if he didn't always express them with words. And she found he too, began to share, to open up about his feelings on the clan, his own father, his hopes and dreams. Things changed when he began to talk to her about the curse, when her fingers brushed the scarred skin of his seal. This only made her yearnings deeper, that somehow, someway, she had penetrated his armor, had gotten beneath his disdain.

The colors of the leaves faded, bursting golds and fiery reds igniting within the land of fire announcing the entry of winter with royal regale. Ino felt the chill of fall, the air of winter begin to set in. She waited on the rooftop for Neji. The stars were out, but tonight it was supposed to be the first snow, the clouds already rolling in. Neji had told her it would be the last night they could stargaze together for quite some time. The hokage was sending him on a longterm mission to rain.

Ino brooded on the rooftop, shivering in her layers. She felt him before she saw him, as usual, his steps were practically silent, but he kept his chakra unmasked for her benefit. She turned and smiled at him. His breathe caught in his throat as he looked at her. Her golden hair was down, hanging around her face like golden curtains, spun silk, in light amiable waves. She must have had it in a loose braid earlier, he judged. Coughing to cover his pause, he sat down on the rooftop beside her, sitting on their blanket.

"It's a cold night." He commented.

"It is." She nodded, though her eyes held that far off look as she looked at the clouds overtaking the stars one by one. The air was brittle, temperature dropping.

"Stop worrying." He told her, laying back on the blanket hand behind his head. She layed back with him and turned on her side to face him.

"Don't tell me what to do." She said, sticking her tongue out.

"Careful" He warned. "You might get what's coming to you if you keep that up." He gestured.

Ino feeling particularly defiant, stuck her tongue out a second time. Her surprise was most ardent, when he proceeded to move closer to her, following through with his mouth pressed against hers. The warm musky smell of pine and spruce, the forest filled her senses. Though at first startled, she leaned into the kiss, breathing him in as she sighed with contentment. Arms wrapped around her the way she had wanted him to, and Ino could have stayed enveloped in that kiss, blooming. Though it was cold, he warmed her like the sunlight, pulled her from the stormy clouds of despair as he always had done. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer, as the first snow flakes fell dusting Konoha as the clouds rolled in. They overtook the stars, the darkness of the night with tender cool sensibility.

AN: Inspired by Trading Yesterday's "Shattered" and "She is the sunlight". My best friend left for her job this evening, and I am so thankful for her friendship, and so proud of her accomplishments as she moves to take a better job in another country. I will miss her, but am standing waving goodbye as she shines bright ^_^. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.


End file.
